Golf tee having ball supporting fibers



J. L. MCLAUGHLIN 2,668,711

GOLF TEE HAVING BALL SUPPORTING FIBER Feb. 9, 1954 Filed Nov. 3, 1950 4 4 /Z W /Z y W I l 2a /6 Z6 2 [Z fl Z2 W 52; zz-

Z5 INVENTOR JOHN L. MC LAUGHL/N AT TORNEV terminate in a common horizontal plane.

Patented Feb. 9, 1954 GOLF TEE HAVING BALL SUPPORTING FIBERS John L. McLaughlin, East Hartford, Conn., as-

signor to The Fuller Brush Company, Hartford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application November 3, 1950, Serial No. 193,911

Claims. (01. 273-33) The invention relates to a golf tee and the general object thereof is to provide such a golf tee having a resilient horizontal upper surface which comprises the upper ends of fibers and is therefore resilient in character and to some extent resembles turf.

Another general object of the invention is to provide a golf practice tee having the described characteristics, and so constructed that portions thereof may be readily removed and replaced as required.

Other and more specific objects of the invention are to provide various details of construction and arrangement whereby the foregoing general objects are attained.

In the drawing I have shown in detail a preferred embodiment of the invention, but it will be understood that various changes may be made from the construction shown, and that the drawing is not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims forming a part of this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

Of the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a golf tee embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a combined plan and sectional view, the section being taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary combined end and sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

A golf tee embodying the invention comprises a plurality of similar parallel horizontal strips each of which includes a layer of upwardly projecting fibers. The term fibers is herein used in a generic sense and is intended to include vegetable fibers or animal bristles or synthetic fibers or any other filaments adapted for the intended purpose. The aforesaid strips are close together so that each layer of fibers is in engagement with the next adjacent layer or layers, and the upper ends of the fibers of all of the layers The upper ends of the fibers in the several layers provide, in effect, a resilient horizontal upper surface upon which a golf ball can be placed, the ball being suitably supported for tee shots and for practice shots. The invention is not limited as to the size of the golf tee, but a size of approximately 18 inches by 12 inches has been found to be satisfactory.

Referring to the drawing, the several parallel fiber strips are represented generally at I, ll]. Each strip comprises a longitudinal metallic channel member I 2 which is symmetrical with its side walls converging. Fibers 14 arranged in a layer are looped or folded within the channel member I2, the fibers extending around a longitudinal retaining wire l6. During manufacture the side walls of the channel member are initially parallel or approximately parallel'and the wire it and the fibers I4 are pressed into the channel member, the fibers being folded by reason of their engagement with the channel member side walls. Thereafter the side walls of the channel member are bent toward each other to the inclined positions shown, the said side walls thus gripping the fibers so that the fibers and the retaining wire are held in place. Preferably, the side walls of each channel member converge at the ends of the said member as shown at [8 in Fig. 4 so as to retain the fibers at the ends of the fiber layer. The layer of fibers in each fiber strip is narrow and compact at the neck between the upper edges of the channel member side walls, but abovethe said neck the fibers of the layer diverge as shown so that the layer is much wider with the fibers thereof loosely arranged and freely movable relatively to each other. Ordinarily the upper ends of the fibers are somewhat more closely spaced near the center of the fiber layer than near the edges thereof.

The fiber strips HI, ID are connected with a suitable support at the bottom of the tee so as to be held in uniformly spaced normally fixed relationship. The spacing is such that the fibers near the edge of each strip are in engagement with the fibers near the edge or edges of the next adjacent strip or strips. Preferably, the spacing is such that the said fibers near the edges interlace or overlap as shown in Fig. 3.

The bottom support for the fiber strips may be widely varied, but it preferably comprises a plurality of longitudinally. spaced transverse supporting bars 26, 20. The bars 20, 20 may be formed of wood. As shown there are three bars, two at the respective ends of the strips and one in an intermediate position.

Preferably the strips I0, H] are not connected directly with the transverse bars 20, 20 but are connected indirectly therewith by means of retaining members 22, 22. Each retaining member 22 is grooved to receive and fit at least one fiber strip and preferably to receive a plurality of fiber strips. As shown, each retaining member 22 has two grooves to receive and fit two fiber strips. The two grooves in each retaining memher are spaced in accordance with the required spacing between the fiber strips, and the several retaining members are spaced from each other so that the spacing is the same between the two adjacent fiber strips carried by two adjacent retaining members. The several retaining members 22, 522 preferably have the same or approximately the same lengths as the fiber strips l 0, I0. Preferably the aforesaid grooves in the retaining members are open-ended so that the fiber strips can be inserted or removed by relative longitudinal movement. Each retaining member 22 is preferably an extruded metallic strip formed with the two said grooves for receiving .and fitting the fiber strips and also formed with .a central intermediate groove 24 located between the first said grooves and having diverging side faces. i The bottom wall of each member a2 is :apertured within the groove'id to receive screws 25, 25 which extend into the supporting bars 26, .20. fllhe screws v26, '25 preferably "have tapered heads which engage the side faces .of the grooves 2' 3, 25-. As shown, three screws2'6, '26 are provided for attaching each retaining member with the respective-supporting bars 20, 20. The-screws forthe several retaining imembers are preferably so spaced that the screws enterin each supporting bar are .in alternately staggered relationship as shown inFig. '2. This avoids the tendencyto split the .wooden supporting bars which might 'be encountered if all of the screws were in alignment.

the retaining member at the top in Fig. 2 arepo- .s'itioned to enter the supporting bars at the left sides of thecentral planes thereof, and that the .screws for the next adjacent retaining member are positioned to enter the supporting bars at the right sides of the central planes thereof.

Dur-

,ing manufacture the spacing .of the screw :holes 7 in the retaining members can be the same for all of them, and the said members are assembled in alternately opposite directions with respect to "the supporting'bars.

The several retaining members .22, 22 may be first connected with the supporting 'barszil, 29 as described, and then the fiber strips may be assembled with the retaining members by relative endwise or longitudinal movement. "The channel members of the fiber strips closely fit'the grooves in the retaining means and :there may be sufii- Cientfriction to prevent accidental or'unintended longitudinal movement of the fiber strips after assembly. However, to more definitely prevent accidental or unintended longitudinal movement of the fiber strips the walls of the grooves in the retaining members may be bent slightly inwardly at their .ends as shown at '28, '28 in Fig. 4. The amount .of bending is considerably exaggerated in Fig. 4;, and aetually'aJ-very 'minute amount is suificient. The "bending as shown and described provides :a narrow zone of reduced cross sectional area whichfrictionally resists longitudinal movement of the corresponding strip.

Notwithstanding the slight bending of the-walls of the grooves as indicated at 28, 28, the fiber strips can be inserted longitudinally upon application of pressure sufiic'ient to overcome the frictional resistance. be removed and replaced by relative longitudinal movement if .some or all of them require re- 7 placement as the result of wear or other damage.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the retaining members 22, 22 constitute Similarly, the fiber strips can means for detachably connecting each strip with the bottom support to permit it to be removed and replaced as required.

The retaining members 22, 22, particularly those at the edges of the tee, may be subject to damage of such nature .as .to .make .it difiicult or impossible to remove and replace the fiber strips carried thereby. In the event of such damage the retaining member and the strips carried thereby may be readily detached and replaced.

The invention claimed is:

1. A golf tee comprising in combination, a plurality of similar parallel horizontal fiber strips each including .a channel member and a layer of fibersprojecting upwardly thereof, the said fiber strips being closely spaced uniformly so that the fibers *nea-r theedges of adjacent fiber layers are positioned for engagement with each other and the said fibers in all 0f the layers terminating at their upper ends at a common horizontal plane, and a plurality of longitudinally spaced transversely extending supporting bars beneath the said fiber stripsfor holding the said strips in normally fixed relationship with each other as described. 7

.2. .Agolf tee comprising in combination, a plurality of similar parallel horizontal fiber strips each including .a channel member and a "layer of fibers projecting upwardly thereof, the fiber strips being closely spaced uniformly so that the fibers near the edges of adjacent fiber layers are positioned for engagement with each other and .the said fibers in all of the layers terminatingat their upper ends at a common horizontal plane, .a plurality of longitudinally extending retaining members each longitudinally grooved to receive and fit the channel member of at least one fiber strip which retaining members are spaced from each other to provide the said uniform spacing between the said fiber strips, and means including .a plurality of longitudinally spacedtransverse supporting bars beneath the retaining members for holding the retaining members in fixed relationship with each other tov maintain the "said uniform spacing between fiber strips. 7

.3. .A golf tee comprising in combination, a plu- .ra1ity of similar parallel jhorizontal fiber strips each including a channel member and a layer of fibers projecting upwardly thereof, the fiber strips being closeiy spaced'uniformly so that the fibers near the edges of adjacent fiber layers are positioned for engagement with each other and the said fibers in allof the iayers terminating at. their upper ends at a common horizontal plane, .a plurality of "longitudinally extending retaining members each longitudinally grooved'to receive and fit the channel member 'of at least one fiber strip, thesaid retaining members having approximately the same lengths as the fiber strips and being spaced from each other to provide the said uniformspacing between the said fiber strips, and meansincluding a plurality of longitudinally spaced transverse supporting bars beneath the retaining members for holding the re- 'taining members in fixed relationship with each other to maintain the said 'uniform spacing between fiber strips.

4. A golf tee comprising in combination, a plurality of similar parallel horizontal fiber strips each including a channel member and ala-yer .of fibers projecting upwardly thereof, the fiber strips being closely spaced uniformly so that the fibers near the edges of adjacent fiber layers are positioned for engagement with each other and the said fibers in all of the layers iterminating at their upper ends at a common horizontal plane so as to provide an approximately rectangular ball supporting area and the said fiber strips being of such length and number that the size of the said areav is on the order of 18 inches by 12 inches, a plurality of longitudinally extending retaining members each longitudinally grooved in its upper portion to receive and fit the channel members of a plurality of adjacent fiber strips spaced as aforesaid, the said retaining members being in spaced relationship with each other to provide the said uniform spacing between two adjacent fiber strips carried by two adjacent retaining members, supporting elements below and structurally separate from the retaining members and engageable with the ground, and means for rigidly connecting the retaining members with the supporting elements to hold the said members in their said spaced relationship with each other.

5. A golf tee comprising in combination, a plurality of similar parallel horizontal fiber strips each including a channel member and a layer of fibers projecting upwardly thereof, the fiber strips being closely spaced uniformly so that the fibers near the edges of adjacent fiber layers are positioned for engagement with each other and the said fibers in all of the layers terminating at their upper ends at a common horizontal plane so as to provide an approximately rectangular ball supporting area and the said fiber strips being of such length and number that the size of the said area is on the order of 18 inches by 12 inches, a plurality of longitudinally extending retaining members each longitudinally grooved in its upper portion to receive and fit the channel members of a plurality of adjacent fiber strips spaced as aforesaid, the said retaining members being in spaced relationship with each other to provide the said uniform spacing between two adjacent fiber strips carried by two adjacent retaining members, supporting elements below and structurally separate from the retaining members and engageable with the ground, and screws for rigidly but detachably connecting the several retaining members individually with the supporting elements to normally hold the said members in their said spaced relationship with each other which screws enable any one of the retaining members to be separately detached.

6. A golf tee comprising in combination, a plurality of similar parallel horizontal fiber strips each including a channel member and a layer of fibers projecting upwardly thereof, the fiber strips being closely spaced uniformly so that the fibers near the edges of adjacent fiber layers are positioned for engagement with each other and the said fibers in all of the layers terminating at their upper ends at a common horizontal plane, a plurality of longitudinally extending retaining members each having longitudinal grooves for receiving and fitting the channel members of two adjacent fiber strips spaced as aforesaid and each having a longitudinal intermediate groove between the first said grooves, the said retaining members being spaced from each other to provide the said uniform spacing between two adjacent fiber strips carried by two adjacent retaining members, and means for holding the retaining members in fixed relationship with each other to maintain the said uniform spacing between fiber strips, the said holding means including screws extending through the retaining members and having heads located in the said intermediate grooves.

'7. A golf tee comprising in combination, a plurality of similar parallel horizontal fiber strips each including a channel member and a layer of fibers projecting upwardly thereof, the fiber strips being closely spaced uniformly so that the fibers near the edges of adjacent fiber layers are positioned for engagement with each other and the said fibers in all of the layers terminating at their upper ends at a common horizontal plane, a plurality of longitudinally extending retaining members each having longitudinal grooves for receiving and fitting the channel members of two adjacent fiber strips spaced as aforesaid, and each having a longitudinal intermediate groove between the first said grooves, the said retaining members having approximately the same lengths as the fiber strips and being spaced from each other to provide the said uniform spacing between two adjacent fiber strips carried by two adjacent retaining members and each of the said retaining members having screw holes extending into the intermediate groove thereof, a plurality of longitudinally spaced transverse supporting bars beneath the retaining members, and

screws extending through the screw holes in the retaining members and into the supporting bars for holding the retaining members in fixed relationship with each other to maintain the said uniform spacing between fiber strips.

8. A golf tee as set forth in claim 7, wherein the screw holes in the retaining member are nonsymmetrically spaced with respect to the ends of the members, and wherein each alternate retaining member is oppositely positioned with respect to the supporting bars.

9. A golf tee comprising in combination, a plurality of similar parallel horizontal fiber strips each including a channel member and a layer of fibers projecting upwardly thereof, the said fiber strips being closely spaced uniformly so that the fibers near the edges of adjacent fiber layers are positioned for engagement with each other and the said fibers in all of the layers terminating at their upper ends at a common horizontal plane so as to provide an approximately rectangular ball supporting area and the said fiber strips being of such length and number that the size of the said area is on the order of 18 inches by 12 inches, a bottom support for the said fiber strips engageable with the ground, and a plurality of retaining members above the bottom support and detachably connected thereto individually and each having a plurality of grooves in its upper portion and open at their ends for receiving and fitting the channel members of a plurality of the fiber strips so as to hold the strips in the described relationship, each said retaining member serving to enable the corresponding fiber strips to be individually connected with or disconnected from the bottom support by longitudinal movement or to be collectively connected with or disconnected from the bottom support by attaching or detaching the said retaining member.

10. A golf tee comprising in combination, a plurality of similar parallel horizontal fiber strips each including a channel member and a layer of fibers projecting upwardly thereof, the fiber strips being closely spaced uniformly so that the fibers near the edges of adjacent fiber layers are positioned for engagement with each other and the said fibers in all of the layers terminating at their upper ends at a common horizontal plane so as to provide an approximately rectangular ball supporting area and the said fiber strips being .of such length and number that the size of 7 said arm is on the order of 18 inches by v12 inches, a bottom support for the said fiber strips engageable with the ground, and a plurality of longitudinally extending retaining members above and connected with the said bottom support and each having open-eI1ded longitudinal grooves in its upper portion for receiving and fitting the channel members of a plurality of adjacent fiber strips to provide the 'said uniform spacing between them which retaining members serve to enable the fiber strips to be individually and separately connected with or disconnected from the bottom support by longitudinal movement, each 8 of the said grooves of the retaining members adjacent each open end thereof having a narrow zone of reduced cross sectional area for frictionally resisting longitudinal movement of the corresponding strip.

JOHN L. McLAUGHLIN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS I Number Name Date 957,078 Miller May 3, 1910 1,970,959 Gauntlett '1 Aug. '21, 1934 2,146,624 Cave n Feb. '7, 1939 

